Interior Encampment

I ascended the metal stairs before dusk and slipped back inside through the patio door track. The transition from the courtyard chill to dry indoor floorboards was immediate. Navigating along the baseboard, I marked a secure clearing beneath the low oak shelf of the shoe rack. A heavy brown leather workboot rested at a slight angle, its vulcanized rubber heel creating a fortified alcove. I broke stride, braced my shoulders against the firm leather counter, and settled onto the smooth grain to let my knee joints rest. The perimeter is enclosed and silent. Standing down until sunrise.